Multi-Genre Research /Response Paper
One of the reasons that you are attending school is to acquire the skills necessary to learn on your own. The multigenre research paper will help you learn some of these skills on a topic of your choice and will give you a format
for presenting the information you learned in several interesting ways. After you have chosen a topic of personal
interest to you; make certain that there is plenty of information about it. Since you are already in the habit of
reading and writing on a regular basis, now all of your reading and writing can center on your topic. You will
research and record the sources and the information you uncovered into five different genres of writing. Your
endnotes will be your thoughts about each writing piece and you must include a works consulted of all your
sources. The multi-genre research paper will be worth a total of 500 points.
 Your paper must contain the following:
 A minimum of 5 entries, of which 3 is the reoccurring genre
 A minimum of 2 pages, double spaced, Times New 12 point font expository essay
 A minimum of 2 dialectical journals for your expository essay
 an index explaining each entry
 a works consulted/cited page properly formatted in MLA format
 letter to the reader
 Photographs may be used as part of a collage or to enhance one of your entries
 Students must complete a 5-10 minute speech with a PowerPoint or Prezi Presentation
Expository Essay:
The expository essay must be based on your person of choice, have at minimum of two evidences per paragraph,
and have a strong thesis that you plan to prove throughout your project. Think of your purpose as the beginning to
your thesis. You must parenthetically cite your evidence in MLA format, use your dialectical journals, and support
your thesis within your essay.
Sources:
A good research paper requires plenty of information from a variety of sources. You will be required to use a
minimum of three different sources and document your sources in a “works consulted” using the MLA format.
Genres of writing
You will be required to write in one of the following genres three times:
 Poem
 Newspaper article
 Journal/diary entry
 Play or screenplay
 Feature story
 Short story
 (One act or scene)
 Personal letter
 Essay
You will also choose a minimum of two from the following genres:
 Obituary
 Newspaper:
 Feature story
 Column
 Personal or want ad
 News story
 Interview (or magazine)
 Review of movie, book,
concert, etc.
 Letter to editor
 Sheet music with lyrics
(original)
 Personal letter or note
 Formal letter
 Memo
 Journal/diary entry
 Descriptive paragraph
 Television/radio
announcement/report
 Television/radio advertisement
 Conversations/dialogue/interview
 Eulogy
 Extended metaphor
 Schedules
 Instructions
 Telegrams
 Your choice with my approval
 Collage Poster (wanted, playbill, concert,
movie,
 5 photo caption of at least five sentences
Pioneer High School Mulit-Genre Research Paper | 2012
Pioneer High School Mulit-Genre Research Paper | 2012
Guidelines for Individual Writing
One-Act Play/Screenplay Rubric for the Multi-Genre Research Paper
Your one-act play will dramatize a short scene that centers on your topic. It should have a conflict
revealed only through dialogue that will be resolved by the end of the play. Here are the requirements
for your play:
 A catchy title
 A conflict concerning your topic and involving at least two characters and no more than five
 Strong character development and plot revealed through dialogue
 Stage/camera directions that show setting and use of props, movement, and emotion only (or
special camera directions and establishing shots for screenplay). This is not a narrator for your
play. Nothing involving plot or character development is allowed in the stage directions.
 A strong conclusion that ties up the loose ends, leaves a character changed or having learned
something new.
 Approximately one page long (a minimum of 20 sentences)
 Correct conventions
 Proper play/screenplay format.
Short Story, Journal, Newspaper, Interview or Letter
Rubric for the Multi-Genre Research Paper
These genres of writing are fiction. Create a short story, journal, letter, or newspaper article that
revolves around your topic. This is what I am looking for:
 Short Story, Journal or letter:
o Catchy, creative title
o Realistic writing. Their personalities are revealed through their actions, appearance,
speech and other characters' reaction to them.
o A plot full of conflict and suspense that holds the reader's interest through the rising
action, climax and resolution.
o A minimum of 20 sentences.
 Newspapers:
o must answer the 5W’s and follow the proper format
o A minimum of 20 sentences.
 Letters:
o There must be a minimum of 10 questions and answers must have at least 3 sentences
 Your topic is important to the story
 Strong images.
 Correct conventions.
Poetry Rubric for the Multi-Genre Research Paper
Poems convey meaning, emotion or images in a few carefully chosen words. Here are the requirements
for you poem:
 The poem must be at least 15 lines long.
 You must have at least 3 examples of poetic devices (figurative language, musical devices,
alliteration etc.)
 Even if your poem is free-verse, some structure must hold it together.
 Correct conventions.
 Your poem should convey some meaning important to your topic.
Pioneer High School Mulit-Genre Research Paper | 2012
Endnotes
Your endnotes should be a minimum of 5 sentences. Endnotes are your explanation of and reflection
about each piece of writing. How did you decide to use this genre? What difficulties did you have in
writing it? What did you like best about it? What are the weak areas that you would change? Where is the
source of information for this piece?
Drafts
You must have at least one draft (with revisions marks) of each of your finished genres.
Booklet
All of your writings will be contained in a professional and creative booklet. You must have a cover, title
page, table of contents, work, endnotes, bibliography, and drafts, in that order. This booklet will go into
your final portfolio as one assignment that you worked hard on and are proud of.
Benchmark Due Dates
Topic: ________________________________________
Research due: __________________________________
Page 1, 4, 7 and 10 Idea due: ______________________
Page 2, 3, 5, 6, ideas due: _________________________
Page 1 due: ____________________________________
Page 4 due: ____________________________________
Page 7 due: ____________________________________
Page 10 due: ___________________________________
Page 2 due: ____________________________________
Page 3 due: ____________________________________
Page 5 due: ____________________________________
Page 6 due: ____________________________________
Page 8 due: ____________________________________
Page 9 due: ____________________________________
Endnotes due: __________________________________
Bibliography due: _______________________________
Final Project due: ______________________________
Pioneer High School Mulit-Genre Research Paper | 2012